'How can I not be worried?'
Not far from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, Xiao Chuan'an, from a neighboring city, is selling sugar cane she imported from southern Guangdong province. "I do feel a bit scared," she told CNN. "How can I not be worried? The situation sounds really serious. The news on the phone sounds really scary." The country's National Health Commission confirmed this week the virus can be transmitted between people, after Wuhan health authorities maintained for two weeks that there was "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission." A staff member talks with a driver as he checks the body temperatures of passengers at an exit of a highway in Wuhan on Tuesday. In Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, 270 people have been infected as of Wednesday, and nine of them have died, according to the commission. At least 453 cases had been confirmed throughout China, leading to fears of a possible epidemic. Xiao said her family had repeatedly urged her to go home, fearing that she will catch the virus in Wuhan. But she wants to stay to sell the sugar cane. However, business has been bad -- people are too scared to come to the market to shop, she said. "You can see now -- does it look like the atmosphere of Chinese New Year?" she said. "I don't know when the pneumonia epidemic will stop... I might have to eat instant noodles during Chinese New Year." A hospital in Wuhan, where China's coronavirus outbreak first emerged.Emergency measures
The city government announced a series of new measures Tuesday to contain the outbreak -- efforts some critics say came too late -- the virus has already spread to a dozen provinces across the country. Tour agencies in Wuhan have been banned from taking groups out of the city. Infrared thermometers have been installed at the airport, train stations, coach terminals and passenger piers to measure the temperatures of passengers departing the city since January 14, according to state media. Staff members disinfect the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan on Wednesday. The city has over 60 routes connecting Wuhan with international cities, including direct flights to New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Paris and London, as well as over a hundred internal flights to other major Chinese cities. It is also a hub for the country's high-speed rail network. At the high-speed rail station, the only faces that stand out are the uncovered ones, with the vast majority of passengers donning masks. As they prepare to exit the station, a railway staff member -- also wearing a mask and gloves -- puts a thermometer at the head of each passenger, checking for a fever. Commuters wearing face masks walk in Hankou railway station in Wuhan, where China's coronavirous outbreak first emerged last month. On a high speed train from Beijing to Wuhan, railway attendants and security guards left their faces uncovered. A train attendant told CNN they were asked by management not to wear masks, as it may trigger a panic among passengers. But she added that the train company is preparing to purchase masks and they will begin wearing them should the situation worsen. Some hotels in the city said they will also screen guests, checking their temperature and asking them to sanitize their hands upon entry. Commuters wait in line at Wuchang railway station in Wuhan on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the general manager of the Westin hotel in Wuhan told CNN he had asked staff to start wearing face masks "for both their safety and for the safety of our guests." Others, however, are less worried about the outbreak. Yan Weixi, a jackfruit seller who did not wear a mask, said she did not find the situation "so scary."DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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